Parenting Emotionally Intense, Spirited, Challenging Children.

Tantrums Were Over

Just When I Thought The Tantrums Were Over..

I don’t know… I just figured by the age of 7 that a child pretty much would have outgrown meltdowns but apparently I was mistaken. At least in the case of my Dervish – I most definitely was mistaken.

It all started a few weeks ago and it’s been going downhill ever since. I seem to recall having posted something about it being ‘too quiet’… well, I was right to be suspicious!

I thought at first that it was a spring in the air thing, maybe a cabin fever thing, maybe it was the rep soccer tryouts that was making him even more emotional and tightly wound than even his normal temperament but… man… I’m running out of excuses.

It’s been nice enough outside that he can play out regularly… so cabin fever it’s not.

Rep soccer tryouts are over and he made the team… so it’s not due to stress of maybe not making it.

Spring? Well, yes, it’s still spring but I think the fever should have broken by now.

So what gives? I’m truly at a loss and I have no qualms about mentioning that my fears that maybe that Child Psychologist actually might have been on to something – not the whole ‘something’ but perhaps there is something amiss.

‘Freaking out’ occurs regularly these days – we can count on at least one major blowout a day – sometimes more. During the week, it starts when he comes home from school. Almost instantly he picks a fight with either ‘The Girl’ when he walks in the door – or – he may already fighting with Pie walking down the street.

Food was an obvious thing to look at. Hunger can definitely trigger low tolerance so I’ve been trying to get food into him as soon as he walks in but that hasn’t seemed to help much.

So, we’ve talked, we’ve bargained, we’ve threatened and we’ve yelled. I’m not very proud of the last two actions but the frustration is mounting and growing and piling up. And it’s not just me.

Pie is growing weary of this and I can’t say as I blame him. He’s constantly being berated by his intense little brother.

The Dad and me are just tired…. and worried. It’s sad to say but we find ourselves holding our breath when it’s time for him to come home. There has to be something we can do – we just haven’t found it yet.

In the mean time – writing here sometimes helps to organize my thoughts so maybe I’ll have a light-bulb moment. I sure hope so… light would be good.